Returned
by ttfan111robstar1
Summary: Charles Evenson escaped Edward's wrath in 1939, and now he has come back to haunt his wife, and in doing so sets off a chain of events that no one could have predicted. Rated M for domestic violence.
1. Returned

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Good to see you all again! This little plot bunny came to me at work and wouldn't leave me alone! So, this story was born. Here's the first part. This will either be a two shot or a multichapter fic. In any event, I hope you love the story!**

It was a Cloudy day in Forks, Washington. The air smelled of fresh rain and damp earth, giving the town a rustic feel. On the outskirts of town stood the Cullen home. Esme Cullen was just outside it and, in a rare occurrence, was completely alone. Her children were in school, her husband at work, and her granddaughter was out with Jacob Black, leaving Esme to do as she pleased. She was busy in the backyard, pulling weeds and tending to her plants. She needed to care for them before it started to rain. For around an hour she kept busy, humming to herself. Unbeknownst to her, her cell phone, left on silent from a charity event the night before, was ringing on her bedside table. But since it was on silent, she remained oblivious to its ringing. When the hour ended, Esme came inside just as the first few droplets of rain pattered against the Windows. It was just past 11:30, and Esme was unsure of what to do with herself. So she watched a documentary on photography on TV. About half an hour later, the doorbell rang. Esme didn't think much of it. She thought that Nessie must have come home early. But her scent wasn't present. A human one was, though. Still, she opened the Door with a smile. A man in a trench coat and hat stood with his back to the door. He turned around, face carefully covered, pretending to be cold.

"I got caught in the storm and have nowhere else to go. My car is stuck in a mud hole and can't be towed out, and the battery is dead and the gas gone, so I can't keep warm inside. May I please come in until it passes?" He said in a gravelly voice.

Esme nodded, hearing his heart thunder with anxiety, and opened the door. But something about this man set her on edge, and she couldn't tell why. And then, strangely, his heartbeat ceased.

He took off his trench coat and hat, revealing a head of black hair coiffed to one side and slick with pomade, wearing a dress shirt and khakis. But when he turned around, Esme saw why she had been anxious. She certainly should have been.

There, standing in her living room, was her abusive ex-husband, Charles Evenson.

She skittered back two steps, reeling with shock, and accidentally knocked over a vase full of flowers. The vase shattered into a million pieces at her feet. The sound brought back painful memories, and suddenly the past ninety seven years hadn't happened at all. She was the submissive wife of an abusive man once more.

"C-Charles..." She whispered. "You're alive..."

"Yes I am."

"How?"

"The same way you are. I am a vampire."

"Y-You can't be... Edward killed you... You're dead... And I'm hallucinating..."

"Oh, I assure you, this is very real." He reached for her and before she could react he was crushing her arm in his grip. "It seems your little attack dog didn't know I had a twin brother... Not that I ever affiliated with him. He was disowned by the family some time ago. But he came to make amends with me. I went out to the market one night and when I came back he was dead on the floor. I always assumed you had something to do with it. I could never prove it... But now I know."

"Is that why you came here? For revenge for your brother?"

"Heavens no. I could care less about the man."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I came to take what's mine."

Despite the pain, Esme was indignant. "I'm not your property. I never will be."

"Not you. Where is the son you bore me?"

Esme took in a sharp breath. Memories, indistinct but poignant, started flooding her brain. The pain was fresh no matter how many years had passed. The best and worst memories of her life had happened with him. Although he had been dead for years, she still felt that it was her duty to protect him. She looked him dead in the eye and flatly said:

"I'm not telling you."

The pressure on her arm tightened. "Yes you will. I'll ask you, nicely, one more time: Where is he?"

She shook her head. "I won't tell."

His eyes darkened at once, like flipping a switch. His polite exterior cracked and fell away, revealing the crude, sadistic man underneath. He leaned in close and whispered, "I have ways of making you talk."

He took her hand in his own, held it for a second, and then dropped it like a hot potato.

Suddenly, Esme was freezing cold and in intense pain. She curled up into a tight ball, shivering violently on the floor.

"W-What are Y-you d-d-d-doing to m-me?"

"You'll soon see."

And then, seconds later, a thudding began. But it wasn't Charles as it had been the first time.

It was her heart. It was beating again.

Her pale skin began to darken to its human tone, and her hearing grew weaker. Her eyesight lost clarity and her sense of smell dulled dramatically. Even her memories of her second life faded until they had a dream-like quality to them, while her human memories grew clearer and clearer. And her body grew weaker by the second.

He had done the impossible.

"How am I human?"

"You're not."

"What do you mean?"

"My gift is giving people certain traits when I touch them. I just gave you ones that would weaken you."

"But your heartbeat..."

"It was real. I can give myself certain traits too. It comes in very handy." He yanked on her arm and she shrieked in pain.

"Why are you doing this? What do want with him?"

"He's my heir. He's all I have left to my name."

"It's been ninety five years since he was born. What makes you think he's alive?"

"Because you are. You would never have let him die. Now where is he?!" The words were a blow to her heart, but she stayed strong.

"I won't tell you!"

He let go of her arm and punched her lightly in the face, sending her skidding across the floor with a thunk as her head hit the wall.

"Tell me!" He barked, grabbing a fistful of her hair.

"Never." It was a low growl. He took her arm, twisted it behind her, and broke it, smiling as she Cried out in agony.

"Where is he?!" He demanded, grabbing her by the throat and shoving her against the wall.

"You'll never find out!"

"Are you willing to risk your life on it?" He hissed.

Her patience ended and she yelled at him: "Go ahead! Kill me! I'd rather be dead than spend another second with you!"

He growled angrily at her, and threw her across the room as if she were a rag doll. She smashed through a glass wall and onto ground in the foyer, unconscious. Charles loomed over her bruised and bloodied form, prepared to take her life, when suddenly the front door bust open and the Cullen Children appeared, Emmett standing furthest front and flanked by Edward and Jasper. They sprang into action against Charles and Alice, Rosalie, and Bella carried Esme to the car and to the hospital where Carlisle was anxiously waiting for them.

Esme was rushed into the ER, leaving Bella, Alice, and Rosalie to ponder her future.


	2. Waiting

**Author's Note: Thanks for the favorites and review guys! I hope you love this chapter!**

Carlisle was the first doctor to see his wife, and the sight of her broke his heart. To see her so bruised and broken ignited a fire inside of him like nothing he had ever felt before. He remained calm and professional with the other doctors and nurses he worked with as he fought to try and find every possible injury and treat it, but inside he was raging. He had never been one for vengeance or anger, but seeing the kindest person he knew being mistreated so badly had made him blind with fury. He would be out for blood once he knew his wife was okay. But he couldn't help but think that his sons were dealing justice for him, and he took comfort in that. He did his best work on her, but eventually he had to turn her over to his colleagues for surgery.

Without her there to buoy him, he felt impotent and bereft. He went to the family room to comfort his daughters and see if they had gotten any news from their husbands. But it was no use. They were just as uninformed as he was. So he comforted them as best he could before making his rounds to check on his other patients. However, it only took a fraction of his concentration to do that. His mind had plenty of room to continue worrying over his wife. He wanted to find some way to outrun his anxieties, wishing he had an outlet for them, like running or boxing. Something. Anything. But there was nothing he could do but wait.

Three long hours passed by, and they were the longest hours of his life. But finally, his pager buzzed and his wife was out of surgery. He was sure Alice had already seen it so he didn't bother telling the girls. He ran at a horribly slow human pace to his wife's room, and stopped when he saw her in the ICU bed. She was covered with tubes and wires, but not even those could cover all the bruises on her body. He swallowed hard and went to sit beside her, taking her limp hand in his own. Although he normally had no trouble keeping his composure during times of extreme stress, this was different. Of all the people he had seen in a hospital, his wife was the last person he would have ever expected to see. Yet here she was, bruised and broken. He tried to find the right words to say to her, but there weren't any. None but an apology for not protecting her.

"Esme... I'm so sorry." His voice broke on the apology and he had to steady himself internally to keep from breaking down completely. He got up and moved to kiss her gently on the forehead- the only place that didn't have a bruise on it. His love for her was overwhelming, as was his guilt about not being able to save her from this terrible fate. He stared at her for a moment or two, thinking about the moments that they had shared together. Millions of memories flashed before him in the space of two of her heartbeats, and he sat down in the chair again, put his face into the bed, and cried. There was no other way to expunge his guilt.

He should have heard people approaching the door, but he'd been so busy berating himself for what had happened to her that he didn't hear anyone until a knock came at the door. He looked up, face still twisted in grief, and saw Charlie Swan standing in the doorway. He managed to smile at him.

"Hello, Charlie."

Charlie nodded. "Carlisle." His voice was laced with sympathy. "Bella called. She asked if I would do this police report alone with you all. I agreed."

Carlisle nodded. "Thank you."

Charlie nodded in return. "I'm ready for your statement at any time."

Carlisle nodded, and decided to tell him as much of the truth as he could. "My wife was married once before... It was a long time ago, and he was horrible to her... He abused her every day, and she lived every day in fear... But she became pregnant and decided to escape. She went to stay with our cousins, but he found her, so she ran again... She had the baby, but he died two days after he was born... After that she decided to start a new life for herself, and that's how we met... But I knew he wouldn't give up until he found her... And today he did... I wasn't home. I was here when it happened... But the children weren't feeling well so they went home early... And they found him hurting her when they got there... He ran off at the sight of them, but the boys stayed behind just in case he came back and the girls brought her here."

Charlie nodded impassively as he took down everything. "What were her injuries?"

"A broken arm, a crushed radius, head trauma that required surgery, more bruises than I could count, and many cuts, some of which needed stitches."

"anything else?"

Carlisle shook his head. "That's it."

"Do you know when she'll be awake?"

"No. I'm afraid not."

Charlie nodded. "Thank you for your statement Dr. Cullen."

"Of course. Have you spoken to Alice and Rosalie for their statements already?"

"Yes. I'll need Edward, Emmett, and Jasper's statements as well. And your wife's when she's awake."

Carlisle nodded. "Of course. I'll have Bella call you as soon as she's awake."

"Thank you for your help. And I am truly sorry that this has happened to your family."

"Thank you."

With one last nod, Charlie exited the room, leaving Carlisle alone with his thoughts once more.

Hours began to pass by as he stayed with his wife. Their children flitted in and out of the room periodically, but Carlisle remained at his wife's side. He couldn't bring himself to leave her. It wasn't until 7:00 that evening that the seemingly impossible happened.

Carlisle felt the light pressure of fingers brushing against his hand, and his head shot up to see Esme's eyes finally fluttering open.


	3. Wake

The relief that staggered through Carlisle was almost debilitating, but he moved fluidly to sit at his bride's bedside and stroked her cheek gently. She slid her free hand into his and interlocked their fingers, suddenly realizing how cold his skin was. For so long they had been the same temperature. Now they were different. Although it shouldn't have bothered her, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. But the loving look in his eyes tamed her worry. He gently pressed a kiss to her forehead, and it felt like she was being kissed by a statue, with marble lips.

The feeling of relief was suddenly tempered by a surge of guilt for not being able to save her. His face crumpled as his body shook with quiet sobs.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." He whispered.

"For what?" She asked, confused.

"That I wasn't there for you when you needed me."

"It's okay." She said in a hushed voice. "You made it. You saved my life. Nothing else matters but that."

"No." He interjected quickly. "The next time you need me I will be there for you."

"I know you will." She leaned up to kiss him.

"I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you the way you deserve."

"Shhh." She said, stroking his hair gently. "Don't. Don't do that to yourself."

He looked at her, eyes shining with self loathing. "How could I not? You are the most important thing in my life. How could I not blame myself for not being there?"

She cupped his face in her hands. "You just don't. There was nothing you could have done." He opened his mouth to speak, but she put a finger to his lips. "You've done enough. Take a deep breath and just let this go."

Logically he knew she was right. But his emotions were superseding his ability to think logically. He nodded, mostly for her benefit, and kissed his wife. He checked her vitals, made sure she was stable, and then he relaxed. She really was going to be fine.

A knock came at the door, and their children filed into their private room. After many hugs and well wishing, They all sat down and spoke for a long time. About an hour later, Charlie Swan came back to get Esme's statement. Her children marched out of the room, leaving herself and her husband alone with the police chief. He nodded to her.

"Esme. It's nice to see you, although I wish it were under better circumstances."

She smiled brightly at him. "As do I, Charlie."

"Before we begin, are you sure you want your husband to be in the room for this?"

"Of course. We have no secrets between us. I want him here."

Charlie nodded again. "Alright. You can start whenever you're ready."

Esme took a deep breath and began, knowing that her children were listening outside the door. "It was cloudy out. I was in the backyard tending my plants when it started to rain, so I went back inside. I sat down to watch TV at 11:30 and around noon there was a knock at the door." Carlisle heard Esme's heart rate increase and he squeezed her hand gently. "He was in a trench coat and hat that covered his face. He disguised his voice and asked for shelter from the storm. He said his car was stuck and he didn't have anywhere else to go. So I let him in. I thought there was something wrong, but I didn't listen to my instincts. I should have-" she stopped talking and put a hand over her mouth, trying to keep her composure. Carlisle put his hands on her shoulders, trying to steady her. "He put the hat and coat on the rack. But when he turned around I saw him. I backed away and I broke a vase. I thought I was dreaming... But he grabbed my arm and crushed it. He wanted to know where my son was. He knew I was pregnant when I left him... But he didn't know that my baby died. And I wasn't going to tell him." Sudden rage flared up in her. "He was my son, and it's still my job to protect him. It's all I had left." She took a breath and calmed slightly. "I said I wouldn't tell. He punched me in the face and into the wall. He twisted my arm behind me when I said no again, and then he grabbed me by my throat and shoved me against the wall. He asked me one more time and I just lost it. I told him I'd rather be dead than spend another second with him." She paused, and said quietly, "The way he looked at me... It was so angry and wrathful I really thought I was going to die. He threw me one more time. I remember hearing glass shatter, but then it all goes black after that... Next thing I knew I was here."

Charlie stood there a moment, amazed at this woman's courage. He had to remind himself that the interview was still going on. He nodded, taking down the last few sentences of her statements. He smiled at her, and nodded. "Thank you, Esme. I'll keep you updated if we find out anything."

"I appreciate that, Charlie."

"Anytime. If you wouldn't mind, I've brought a sketch artist with me. Would you mind describing your ex-husband to him so that we can get it out to the public?"

"Certainly."

"Thank you." He said. He shook Carlisle's hand and Esme's. He wished her well, and then he left. When he did, Esme finally relaxed. Reliving what Charles had done to her was what had frightened her the most, both as a human and as a vampire. In doing this she had finally conquered her fears, and in doing so there was a release that came with it. Her demons were finally laid to rest.

She had done it. By God she had done it. The worst was finally over.


	4. Realization

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay in posting. I had some stuff I had to take care of, but I didn't forget you! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

For a few minutes Esme couldn't bring herself to do anything. Her mind was wrapped up in worry. Telling what head happened to her, however healing, had come with its own obstacles. Now, as she described Charles to the sketch artist, she couldn't help but wonder what might have been. He could have done so much worse to her. Now, she was wondering if he had done anything to her while she was unconscious. She wouldn't put it past him to violate her while she was out. For a man who craved power, rape was like a drug to him. It had happened in their marriage, periodically at first but more frequently toward the end. It was through that heinous and immoral act that her son was conceived. Morbidly, she wondered if that was a sign that her son was doomed from the start. She waited for the sketch artist to leave before her shoulders slumped in grief and exhaustion. Carlisle opened his arms and held her, kissing her temple gently.

"It's okay." He promised.

She nodded, crying quietly to herself. For a long while, neither of them said anything to one another. Then, slowly, their children filed in.

Rosalie came over first, feeling her heartbreak and grief in a way that only she could. She simply put a hand on Esme's shoulder, never meeting Carlisle's gaze. Alice soon joined her, quietly holding Esme's free hand. Bella came not long after, and put her hand on Esme's arm, while her daughter, finally home from her day with Jacob, came soon after, wiping the tears off of her Grandmother's face.

The boys, excluding Carlisle, were at a bit of an impasse. On the one hand, they wanted to console their mother, but they also didn't want to say or do anything wrong that would upset her. They stood, frozen with fear as their father and wives went over to comfort their mother. Emmett, unable to endure the stillness, went over to where all the women and his father stood. He sat behind his wife, never saying or doing anything as he crossed his legs. He sat that way for a long time, and soon Jasper and Edward mimicked his idea, just sitting behind their wives as their Mother cried inconsolably.

Even as she sobbed, Esme knew that her family was gathering around her. She knew every time she smelled their scent through her weakened nose that someone had come to comfort her. All of the girls were touching her in some way, sympathizing with her, while the boys kept their distance, but were still there. It meant the world to her that her family cared so much about her. She was reminded that her family was always there when she needed them most. This was why they all came- so she wouldn't face this terror alone. With some effort, she pulled herself up from Carlisle's embrace, and opened her arms. They all came into them. For a while, nobody said anything, just letting Esme have time to calm down. Esme was the one who finally broke the silence with a very quiet and hushed,

"Thank you." They all nodded in return. She looked up at Carlisle and kissed him, before saying, "Let's go home."

Carlisle signed his wife out of the hospital and drove her home in his Mercedes. She felt nervous to go home so vulnerable. Her humanity had weakened her significantly. She thought about how easily she could be used against her family now. She was like an infant exposed to the elements. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she gasped sharply. Carlisle instantly pulled over, looking at her worriedly.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked, staring at her dumbstruck face. A smile grew across her face.

"Carlisle... I'm human." She said.

"Yes," he agreed. "And?"

"Don't you see? I'm human, and that means that I can have children again! We can finally have a baby together!" She gushed, thrilled with herself. It took Carlisle half a second to catch up with her logic before he pulled her in for the most loving and sweet kiss he had ever given her. When it was over, he smiled.

"Let's get home."

He drove quickly and pulled into the driveway where their children were waiting for them. Carlisle carried her in his arms the way he had on their wedding night. Esme's eyes swept the living room as they passed it. There was no sign that there had ever been a struggle in there. The remains of the shattered vase had been swept away, and the wall she had smashed through when Charles threw her had been eviscerated so completely that it looked like it had never been there in the first place. It was like the entire thing had been a horrible dream. There wasn't a trace of blood or any damage anywhere in the house, and it helped Esme to feel more relaxed as her husband carried her up to their bedroom.

Edward, sensing that they wanted their privacy, led everyone out of the house for a group hunt, leaving the couple to their own devices.

Carlisle set his wife on their bed as gently as possible. Then, mindful of her arms, helped her out of her clothes one piece at a time before removing his own much more slowly, hungry eyes riveted on his wife. When he was undressed completely, he climbed on top of her and caressed her face in his for a fleeting moment. He kissed her, watching as the smile he loved so much lit up her face and made her eyes crinkle the tiniest bit.

"I love you." He whispered, throaty with emotion and unspent passion. She lifted her head up enough to crane her neck in for a kiss, smiling brightly.

"I love you too. More than you could ever imagine. You're my knight in shining armor." She said. He grinned at the running nickname between them.

"And you're my queen. You always have been and you always will be." He promised. He kissed her gently.

"Are you ready?" He asked. She nodded excitedly.

"Let's have a baby together."


	5. Announcement

**Author's Note: Sorry for not updating for a while, guys! I lost my muse. But here's another chapter! I hope you like it!**

Alice saw it first while hunting. Esme blurred right out of her sight, and it panicked her so much that she stopped running and skidded to a halt. Edward, seeing what she had seen, did the same. Sending damp earth flying through the air. The others noticed their stop in the hunt and one by one followed in their steps. Jasper and Bella headed to their mates.

"What is it, Alice?" Jasper questioned.

"Esme..." She whispered, trying to figure out what was happening. When she looked at Edward and Bella together, it suddenly clicked for her, and a huge smile spread across her face. Edward heard her thinking and stood there frozen for a second, trying to see if she was right. It took them both a minute to recover themselves. Alice did it first. "I'll explain later. Let's finish hunting first."

"That's a good idea." Edward said quickly.

They all decided to trust Alice and continue on hunting, although not without reservations.

Back at the house, Carlisle and Esme were getting dressed after they finished love making. Esme was glowing with excitement, as was Carlisle, but underneath his exuberance was a deep seeded fear. He wanted to have a baby with his wife. That was completely true. But he feared that he would not be able to save her after she had the child. Even if he understood the pregnancy process better now because Renesmee was born, he couldn't shake the anxiety. The only reason he didn't bring it up to his wife was because he knew she shared this fear. But he knew that this was her greatest wish. How could he deny her this? He loved her too much to not give her something she had waited over eighty years to have. No matter how much it would hurt him to see her in pain, no matter how much he saw her suffer, he would stay strong for her. She needed him now more than ever, and he would stand by his mate.

Esme finished dressing, but she was exhausted, so Carlisle gently told her to get some sleep. She nodded, laying down under the covers as he lay beside her with his arms around her waist. When her breathing evened out, he knew she was asleep. He laid like that for twenty minutes until he heard the back door open, indicating their children were back from hunting. He carefully loosened his arms from around her and went to greet them.

All of them had gathered in the living room, sitting on the various couches that sat there. Carlisle's eyes met Alice's as he was coming down the stairs, and he knew that she knew. Of course she would know- they could never hide anything from her. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod, and she understood.

"What did you see, Alice?" Asked Jasper, putting an arm around his wife.

"I think we should wait for Esme before we talk about it." She said. Jasper looked over at Carlisle.

"She's asleep right now." Carlisle said. There was a collective sigh as they realized they would have to wait to see what was going on for themselves.

An hour ticked by, and then another.

Edward, who was at the piano with Bella beside him and Renesmee in his lap, suddenly stiffened and looked over at his adoptive father.

"Carlisle." He said anxiously.

"Yes?"

"Esme..."

He jumped up from his seat with an easy grace and raced upstairs to his wife. When he got there, she was tossing and turning in her sleep, sweating profusely.

"No..." She mumbled. "Please..."

He ran to her side and gently entwined his fingers with hers.

"Esme?" He asked quietly.

Her eyes snapped open as she bolted up in bed, a strangled scream coming out of her mouth before she gasped for air. She put a hand over her heart, trying to breathe. Carlisle stood next to her and moved to sit at the end of their bed, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"It's okay. You just had a nightmare. It wasn't real."

Esme suddenly ran to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before she threw up from the panic. Carlisle was by her almost instantly, holding back her hair as she choked on air. He kept reassuring her that it wasn't real, but she knew he was wrong. It was real. That was the problem. When she was sure she wasn't going to be sick anymore, she leaned back into the stronghold of his chest, sobbing as he held her in his arms.

He stroked her hair for a long time, waiting patiently for her to calm down. When she did, at least fifteen minutes had gone by.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked carefully.

She shook her head. "He broke my arm because dinner wasn't ready on time..."

Carlisle held her tightly for a minute, not saying anything. Then, he spoke. "The children are waiting downstairs."

She nodded woodenly and he helped her to her feet. Leading her downstairs, Carlisle smiled for the both of them. Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper all looked impatient. Alice was excited, Edward was calm, Bella curious, and Renesmee bored.

"Can we start now?" Emmett pleaded. Alice nodded.

"Carlisle?"

Carlisle stepped forward, holding both of Esme's hands.

"We have an announcement to make." He said, calmly.

Six pairs of golden eyes and one pair of brown ones stared at them. Nervously, Esme took a deep breath and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as Carlisle moved a step or two closer to her.

Esme squeezed his hands, trying to draw some strength from him. "Now that I'm human again, I have the chance to do something I never could before. I knew from the moment I got home from the hospital that this was what I wanted to do. So we spoke about it together, and we made our decision together. Everyone, We've decided that we're going to have a baby."


	6. Symptoms

A beat of silence passed before there was any kind of reaction.

Edward and Alice, who had known what was to come, were calm and smiling. There was no visceral reaction other than that. Renesmee was the first excited reaction there was. She leapt up from her seat and ran to her grandmother.

"I'm so happy for you, grandma!"

"Thank you, Nessie."

Emmett stood up and clapped his hands together once. "Awesome! Another munchkin! Sounds good to me!"

Jasper gave a calm "congratulations."

"That's amazing. I hope that baby makes you as happy as Nessie has made me." Said Bella.

The reaction Esme had looked for the most was from Rosalie, who didn't quite know what to say. As the others filed out, Esme went to her daughter and sat with her.

"Can I speak to you for a minute, Rose?"

Rosalie nodded. "Sure."

Esme put a hand over hers. "I need you to promise me something."

"What?"

"If something happens to me and I don't make it out... I want you to promise me that you'll take care of the baby."

Rosalie's surprise only lasted a second, before she smiled. "Of course I will."

Esme wrapped her in a hug. "Thank you, honey."

Rosalie tightened her hold on her. "Anytime."

For about two weeks, nothing happened. Everyone went about their daily lives as normal. Esme adjusted to her humanity quicker than expected and made the transition smooth for everyone involved. For everyone else it was like Bella was human once more, except it was Esme now. But the mood in the house remained cheerful.

Fifteen days after the announcement, it happened.

Esme was downstairs watching TV when she suddenly found herself overwhelmed by the strong, oppressive smell of perfume. She looked around, but she was alone in the living room. The smell strengthened as she neared the stairs.

"Alice, Rose, can you put the perfume away please?" She called up the stairs.

A chorus of "Sorry, Mom!" Resounded through the house. Esme tried to smile and shake it off, but the smell lingered. She moved to the kitchen, hoping to escape it, but it still bothered her. So she moved again to the backyard and took a few deep breaths, trying to get the smell out of her nose. She took a walk around the grounds for a little while, and then went in when she finally started to get hungry. Long used to cooking for the wolves, she made herself some some pasta with a garlic pesto sauce, and then went to sit at the table to eat it.

She took a bite of the pasta and almost spit it out the second it hit her tongue. Aside from the garlic taste, there was a metallic flavor that instantly made it disgusting. But seeing as she was starving by that point, she continued to eat, ignoring the taste. When she was about halfway through the bowl, a spoonful of pasta hit her stomach wrong, and she stopped eating, her fork clattering into the bowl. She got out of her chair so quickly she knocked it over and ran to the bathroom to throw up.

When it was over, her whole body felt weak and shaky as she pulled herself to her feet by the bathroom counter. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was as pale as she'd once been, but her face was still marred by what Charles had done to her. Small abrasions were still there, but she could ignore it. Charles was way down on her worry list right now. Although she'd never admit it, when she slept his face haunted her dreams. It was always the same dream, too. Her husband and children gone, he kidnapped her from her home and waited for her to give birth before stealing her child and leaving her to die. She was sure Edward knew of her dreams, but if he did, he did not share it with anyone, and for that she was grateful.

She was about to leave the bathroom when she caught a glimpse of her body in the mirror, and stepped back. Turning to her side, she saw a small, almost unnoticeable bump beginning to form. All the clues clicked into place like the last few twists in a rubicks cube. The sensitivity to smell, the metallic taste in her mouth, the vomiting: all symptoms of pregnancy.

A huge smile broke out onto her face at the Realizaton, and she grabbed the doorknob, intending to run out and call Carlisle to tell him, but she halted when she realized that she wanted to be sure. Without telling anyone, she went to the pharmacy and bought a pregnancy test. Keeping it in her purse, she carried it through the house until she got to her bedroom. Shutting the door, she opened the box and followed the directions inside. Ten grueling minutes passed by, before the timer she'd set went off, signaling that her period of purgatory was up. She picked up the test.

There, staring back at her, was a little pink plus sign.

She put a hand over her mouth in excitement, and ran downstairs to where she'd left her cell phone. Dialing the number one and pushing the green call button, she waited impatiently as the phone rang and rang. Finally, her husband answered.

"Hello?"

"Carlisle?"

"Esme? What is it?"

"You need to come home early tonight." She tried to sound casual, but she knew he could hear her heart racing through the phone.

"I'll do the best I can."

"I love you. See you tonight."

"I love you too. See you then."

Excitedly, she hung up the phone and got herself dressed up for the night ahead. She had all of her children go over to Edward and Bella's cottage while she decorated the dining room. When the clock hit seven, Carlisle walked through the door to his wife holding a glass of cider for herself and a glass of what smelled like mountain lion blood for him. The room was decorated with balloons and candles and streamers.

"What's all this for?" He asked, taking his glass.

"We're celebrating." She said, clinking her glass with his.

"Really? What?"

She stepped forward with the biggest smile on her face and handed him the test.

"Honey, I'm pregnant."


	7. Image

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait! Life is pretty crazy right now, so I don't know how often I'll be able to update, but In any event, I hope you love this chapter!**

It took Carlisle five seconds to actually comprehend her words as he stared at the white stick in his hands.

 _One_. The words hit his ear.

 _Two_. The test was in his hand

 _Three_. He saw the lines on the test.

 _Four_. The words turned from random noises to an actual sentence.

 _Five_. The emotions inside of him exploded.

He picked his wife up and swung had around in his arms, kissing her deeply at the end. Then, excitedly, they ran out together to tell the children. After a round of hugs and congratulations, the two of them had a quiet dinner together. They talked about the baby and what they would name it, but the celebration was cut short when Carlisle was called into the hospital on an emergency, leaving Esme to herself.

The excitement had riled her up enough that she felt she needed to relax, so she decided to take a bath. Shedding her clothes, she stared at her naked body in the mirror, thinking about the evolution of her thinking about her own self image.

As a child and a teenager, she hadn't had any issues with her body, other than acne, of course. She'd never felt that she wasn't pretty or that she was too fat or too skinny. She had been herself, and that was enough.

When she'd married Charles, all that had changed.

Her body had become a battlefield, the bruises and cuts and broken bones marking each new war between them. For the first time in her life, she had found herself ugly. Every mark on her skin added a new trait to be mulled over. It was a reminder that every battle they had was one that ended with her as the loser. And for a long time, that was all there was. Self-loathing and new scars.

Then, like a snake shedding an old skin, she changed again.

When she had found out that she was pregnant, her entire mindset had shifted. She was a sacred vessel now, carrying another human being. She found the courage to leave Charles. She was no longer the victim of an abusive man, she was a survivor. Most importantly, she was a mother. From the moment she found out she was expecting, she had become a mother. It was a part of her now, irreversible.

The final modification came when she found out that her baby died, and she jumped off of the cliff. She had been changed into a vampire by her now-husband, and had gained a new body. She had become beautiful, and all the insecurities that she had with her human body had faded into nonexistence. There hadn't been any reason to revisit them.

Not until now.

She turned herself in different ways, looking at her body from other angles. The small bump had appeared quite suddenly, and a small bruise had appeared on her stomach. The image gave her conflicting emotions. She was elated to be pregnant, but that one bruise was a reminder of the terror she had suffered at the hands of her ex-husband. Whispers of his comments about her body still tantalized her ears after all this time. The ghost of his abuse still followed her through the years and through physical changes, no matter how she tried to exorcise it.

She picked up a towel and wrapped it around herself, suddenly ashamed by her appearance, even though she had absolutely no reason to be. There was no logical explanation for her to feel so ugly, and yet it was there. As if she thought what Charles had done had somehow marred her face.

She got into the bathtub and laid down, trying to get her mind off of those bad thoughts. The bubble bath concealed her body, which helped tremendously with changing the path her mind was taking. She thought about how Bella's pregnancy had progressed, and wondered what complications she would face. Certainly she would face some, considering the baby inside of her was incompatible with her body. However, she had already bore one child in this body. Perhaps it would help in some small way.

She wondered what gender the baby would be, and which of them it would resemble physically. Her mind played with the features, changing eye color, hair color, and facial structure. The image that cemented in her mind was a little boy with straight blonde hair and her brown eyes, with Carlisle's jawline and a round face, with cheeks like a cherub. She pictured him running and playing with the rest of their family, thinking of a little giggling boy running into her arms. Half Carlisle, perfect and brilliant, and half herself, kind and respectful.

By the time she got out of the bathtub, her spirits had brightened immeasurably. She purposely avoided looking at herself in the mirror as she dressed. Heading downstairs, she found Rose and Emmett snuggled together on the couch, Edward and Bella making Renesmee's dinner in the kitchen, Renesmee sitting at the kitchen table with Jacob, jabbering about her day, and Alice and Jasper standing outside the back doors, talking quietly. She knew her family was aware of her presence, they just didn't need to acknowledge it. She was about to go and make herself a snack when her husband breezed through the door and was by her side in an instant. He kissed her with lips that were much harder than usual. She hadn't noticed the difference at first. Her excitement had dulled her senses. But now she was aware of his strong-as-Hercules grip on her and the solid marbled cement that was his lips. Although his lips were hard, the love in the kiss and in his eyes remained unchanged, and there was cashmere comfort in that.

"Good evening, Mrs. Cullen."

Esme smiled. "Good evening, Doctor Cullen. I thought you were needed at the hospital?"

"I was. In surgery. A car accident with a traumatic brain injury. She died on the table half an hour in. I had to notify the family..."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

He smiled. "I'm fine. The real question is, are _you_ okay?" She let go of him so he could touch the small bump on her stomach.

As he said the words, she felt strange, suddenly. Lightheaded and weak, not to mention confused. Her earlier nausea came back in an instant, and she suddenly felt hot all over.

"I'm f-" The word wouldn't come out. "I'm fuh-"

Before she could reply, her eyes rolled back into her head, and she fainted dead away.


End file.
